Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging LUIS FILPO with racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and murder through the use of a firearm. These charges relate to FILPO’s alleged membership in a street gang known as “the 200s,” operating in and around upper Manhattan. As alleged, on January 31, 2019, FILPO and other 200s members shot and killed Roberto Vasquez, an innocent bystander who was mistaken for a gang rival. FILPO, who was in New York State custody, was transferred to federal custody yesterday and made his initial appearance in federal court in Manhattan. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Luis Filpo murdered Roberto Vasquez after mistaking him for a gang rival. Thanks to the hard work of the prosecutors in this Office and our law enforcement partners, Filpo will finally be held to account for this heinous crime. We hope that these charges bring some measure of comfort to Mr. Vasquez’s family and make clear that this Office and our law enforcement partners will never stop investigating those who commit violence on our streets.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court[1] and other court documents:
From at least in or about 2016 up to and including March 2022, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, FILPO was a member of the 200s street gang. In order to fund the gang, protect its territory, and promote its standing, members of the 200s engaged in, among other things, narcotics trafficking and other acts of violence, including murder. Members of the 200s sold narcotics in the gang’s territory and engaged in shootings as part of their gang membership. In particular, on January 31, 2019, FILPO shot and killed Roberto Vasquez, an innocent bystander mistaken for a rival gang member, in the vicinity of 158th Street and Broadway Avenue, in Manhattan, New York.
FILPO, 25, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum term of life in prison; one count of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a mandatory minimum term of life in prison or death; and one count of causing death through use of a firearm, which carries a maximum term of life in prison or death.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and New York City Police Department.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mathew Andrews and Patrick Moroney are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
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